An important note to RISCA’s FY20 grantees
Dear Friends,
First, and most importantly, I’m writing on behalf of all of us here at the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) to express our hope that you and all those you care about are safe and healthy. For those of you who have experienced loss, please know that we grieve with you and your loved ones.
I am writing today to those of you who received a grant from RISCA from our April 2019 and October 2019 application deadlines. As you may know, RISCA made several decisions designed to help you during this pandemic period. We sent each of you a letter on June 1st, outlining the relaxation of grant rules and conditions. These changes included:
- Waiving matching dollar requirements for activities taking place between March 1 and December 31, 2020.
- Allowing you to delay or change the scope of projects taking place between March and December by just communicating this delay to RISCA staff.
- And, finally, changing the final report due date of July 31, 2020, to December 31, 2020, for all grants.
Final reports are absolutely necessary. Not only do they help us document what you have done with RISCA’s financial support, but they also help us secure the state and federal funding we need to continue to support the Rhode Island arts community. We hope you will make every effort to complete and submit your final report – if you have not done so already – by December 31.
That said, we realize there may be some obstacles to completing your project during a challenging time. You may not have completed, or even started, your grant project. You may not be able to pull together the information you need to complete your final report. Please let us know how we can help. And please know that we are not going to be asking for money back, particularly during this difficult period.
There will be no penalties: again, we want to help. That being said, there are some reasons to contact your program staff person. For example, contact us:
- If you haven’t informed us of any delays in carrying out your project.
- If the name of the contact person for this project has changed.
- If you need help completing the report by the deadline.
At some point – soon, we hope – RISCA will be able to resume its granting programs. When that happens we will need to receive a final report before you can apply for another grant. But for now, please help us help you by either completing your current report or communicating with the proper program staff person to let them know how things stand with your FY20 project grant.
From all of us, have the very best and safest Holiday season. Stay well!
Randy
Randall Rosenbaum
Executive Director, RISCA